Lai Thieu pottery village in Thuan An, Binh Duong province is famous for its exquisite products imprinted with southern characteristics.
Lai Thieu pottery products.
Lai Thieu pottery village in Thuan An, Binh Duong province is famous for its exquisite products imprinted with southern characteristics.
According to the "Natural geography of Binh Duong province", the craft village dates back to the 1850s and earlier when Chinese people came to settle in Binh Nham and Tan Thoi. In the beginning, Lai Thieu pottery products mainly were jars, pots, kettles and baskets with black enamel. There are kilns in Anh Ky, Quang Thai Xuong, Kien Xuan and Lien Hiep Thanh that are still being used.
The elders at Kien Xuan pottery kiln said that about 145 to 155 years ago, there was a man, Vuong To from Fujian, who came from China to Gia Dinh and then went to Lai Thieu to build a pottery kiln. To is the great-grandfather of Vuong The Hung, owner of Kien Xuan pottery kiln. Kien Xuan pottery kiln has been maintained and developed with major products like jars and baskets that formed Lai Thieu pottery center. The pottery village focuses on making household ceramics and pottery products.
The 1960s were considered the golden age of Lai Thieu pottery. The most sophisticated products were collected by merchants to sell in six provinces in Southern Vietnam and to Laos, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Products made in Lai Thieu pottery village appear in daily lives of all families, from the garden and kitchen to the altar of southern locals.
Lai Thieu pottery products have dominated the southern market for hundreds of years. With a variety of types, shapes and patterns, the ceramics have been imprinted with artistic and folk features and have created the distinction for the flashy rural pottery line.
Each item from Lai Thieu pottery village is meticulously polished by the skillful hands of artisan which reflect cultural traits, village customs and country paintings. Patterns on the products are taken from rural life, works of art, bas-reliefs in temples and pagodas, fairies, clouds and sky, flowers and leaves.
Despite facing difficulties and challenges, Lai Thieu pottery craft still retains its traditional beauty and own nuances.
By Thong Hai/VNP Translated by Nguyen Tuoi